Pike River widow Anna Osborne is creditingher granddaughter withhelpingher get through invasive cancer treatment.

Osborne, whose husband Milton died West Coastmine disaster just over nine years ago, had stem-cell replacementforHodgkinlymphoma in October.

She was told she had a four weeksto a year to live without the risky surgery, or up to five years with it. Wanting to see 2-year-old grandaughter Amalia start school was a big factor in thedecision to push ahead.

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Anna Osborne and her two-year-old granddaughter, Amalia, who Osborne says has been her inspiration to prolong her life after fighting cancer.

Her stem-cells wereharvested and frozenin August. The stem cell transplanttook place in Christchurch in October aftersix days of intensive chemotherapy.

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"It kills everything.It was pretty rough going," Osborne told Stuff from herhospital bed in Greymouth.

Joanne Carroll/Stuff

Osborne has undergone a stem cell transplant, but has been in and out of hospital during her recovery.

"It was a long and really difficult process because I became really really ill. Vomiting, sleeping all the time. If I caught an infection it could kill me."

After the successful transplant of her stem-cells back into her body, she stayed in Christchurch'stransplant unit forfive weeks.

She was then transferred to Grey Base Hospital.

Phil Walter/Getty

Osborne greeting Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern when the Pike River re-entry got under way in May.

"I've been home threetimes from hospital, only two days each time. On the second day, I've just gone right down again and got nothing left to give,so I'm backin hospital. It's been a bit of a battle."

She has no appetite, is nauseousand and unable to retain some nutrients.

"My bloods might be normal but then very quickly I can't retain any electrolytes and I go down hill and everything is depleted.

Kevin Stent/Stuff

Osborne, left, with friend and fellow Pike River family member Sonya Rockhouse.

"It's a hard road. You're sick of being sick ...sick of having no energy.

"I know in the end it's going to be worthwhile and I've bought myself another four or five years. Hopefully a lot longer than that."

Osbornewasdiagnosed with the cancer, which attacks theimmune system,in 2002 at age 36.

Stacey Kirk/Stuff

Representatives of some of the Pike River families - Anna Osborne, Sonya Rockhouse and Bernie Monk - talk of their elation at the decision to re-enter the mine. (First published November 2018)

She had radiation for six weeks and went into remission, but the cancercame back just before the Pike River tragedy in November 2010, when 29 men where killed in a series of explosions at the coal mine. Osborne helped campaign for thelegalisation of medicinal cannabiswhile undergoing chemotherapy in 2015.

She is awaiting a full scan to see if the treatment has removed all the tumours in her body. For now, she is taking each day as it comes.

"I'm feeling quite positive. I've got four or five years left in me. You've got to remain positive. It's easy to give up," she said.

At her darkest moments, Amalia was at the forefront of her mind.

"She needs me and I need her. I want to be there when she starts school. She was the person that got me through and made me want to keep going.

"She's magnificent. She's brightened my world ... it's really nice having her to keep going for."

Osborne said she had a special bond with Amalia.

"She will bring her blankie and baby and sit on my lap and just cuddle into me, and my daughter says she doesn't do that for anyone.

"I can't give up on that,it's too beautiful."

Link:
Pike River widow credits granddaughter with getting her through cancer 'battle' - Stuff.co.nz